Pool hydromassage assembly

ABSTRACT

A hydromassage assembly for placement at pool side, and involves a housing including a horizontal section for placement on the deck of the pool and an angularly disposed or substantially vertical section of a length sufficient that its free end may be submerged in the water of the pool. A motor driven pump at the free end of the horizontal section is adapted to hydraulically drive a plurality of hydro-air jet head assemblies installed in the submersible end of the angularly disposed section, each of the hydro-air jet head assemblies being adapted to draw air through an air intake tube extending through a wall of the housing above the water level of the pool. The installation of a plurality of hydro-air jet head assemblies provides for substantially uniform hydro-air jet activity throughout a wide arc.

United States Patent Jacuzzi 1 July 4, 1972 [54] POOL HYDROMASSAGEASSEMBLY Primary Examiner- Lawrence W. Trapp [72] Inventor: Roy A.Jacuzzi, Moraga, Calif. Anqmey Edward Brosler [73] Assignee: JacuzziResearch, Inc. ABSTRACT [22] Filed: May 10, 1971 A pydrorgassageassembly for placement at poof! side, and invo ves a ousing including ahorizontal section or placement [21] Appl' 141,836 on the deck of thepool and an angularly disposed or substantially vertical section of alength sufficient that its free end 52 vs. Cl. ..128/66, 4/180 may beSubmerged in Water 0f the P A drive" 51 Int. Cl. ..A6lh 9/00 P end thehrizmal Swim is adalted 58 Field of Search "128/66 4/178 180 172hydraulically drive a plurality of hydm'airiet head assemblies 7installed in the submersible end of the angularly disposed sec- 56]References Cited tion, each of the hydro-air jet head assemblies beingadapted to draw air through an air intake tube extending through a wallUNITED STATES PATENTS of the housin above the water level of the pool.The installation of a plurality of hydro-air jet head assembliesprovides for 2559,678 7/1951 schroejter "128/66 x substantially uniformhydro-air jet activity throughout a wide 3,273,560 9/1966 Jacuzzi 128/66am Roden ..l28l66 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 4 I972 3,674,020

SHEET 1 0F 2- IIVI/ENTOR R0) 4. JAGUZZ/ ATTORNEY PATENTEDJUL 4 Ian I3,674,020

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//VVENTOR R0) .4. JACUZZ/ A r TORNEY POOL HYDROMASSAGE ASSEMBLY Theinvention relates to a hydromassage assembly and more particularlytosuch an assembly adapted for swimming pool use.

The benefits of hydrotherapeutic treatment for the relief of fatigue,muscular aches and pains is well known. Of recent times, attempts havebeen made to associate hydro-therapeutic treatment with swimming pools,so that the users of such pools could avail themselves also ofhydrotherapeutic treatment. Such attempts invariably utilize theplumbing associated with a pool installation, as part of thehydromassage system and consequently, such type of installation becamean integral part of the poolsystem.

Among the objects ofthe present inventionare;

1. To provide a novel and improved hydromassage assembly adapted forswimmingpool use; i g

2. To provide a novel and improved hydromassage assembly adapted for useat pool side, and which is entirely independent of the pool system;

3. To provide a novel and improved hydromassage assembly which isportable and capable of placement at pool side, and without thenecessity of tying the same in with the existing pool system;

4. To provide a novel and improved hydromassage assembly for placementat pool side, and which will provide hydromassage activity over a widearc;

5. To provide a novel and improved hydromassage assembly adapted for useat pool side, and which will not expose a user to maximum suctionaleffect ofthe pump fonning part of such assembly.

Additional objects of the invention will be brought out in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein,

FIG. 1 isa plan view of the pool hydromassage assembly of the presentinvention, in preferred form, and as used at pool side;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of thepool hydromassage assemblyillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the submersible portion of the assemblyof'FlG. l, with the housing broken away to depict the hydro-air jet headassemblies and associated piping;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the hydro-air jet head assemblies andassociated piping illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the pump end of the hydro-massage assembly ofFIG. 1, with the cover removed to expose the pump and drive motor; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the pump and motor of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings for a description in detail of the inventionin its preferred form, the assembly involves a housing 1 including ahorizontal section 3 and a section 5 angularly disposed with respectthereto, preferably in a substantially vertical position, and of alength such that, with the horizontal section resting on the deck 7 of apool, the free end 9 of the vertical section will normally be submergedbelow the water level in the pool.

In such submersible end of the angularly disposed section of thehousing, are installed one or more hydro-air jet head assemblies 11, apair being adequate for a conventional type pool. The specific designand construction of each of the jet head assemblies is incidental to thepresent invention. Each may include the features of the various jet headassemblies illustrated and described in the patent to Candido Jacuzzi,U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,025 of Jan. 10, 1967 for HYDROTHERAPY TUB, or eachmay embody the features of jet head assembly forming the subject matterof the patent to Roy A. Jacuzzi U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,438 of Nov. 17, 1970for HYDRO-AIR JET HEAD ASSEMBLY. Common to all of these, however, is thefact that each provides a water intake opening and an air intakeopening.

The jet head assemblies are each supplied with water under pressure andat high velocity from a pump 17 installed in the free end 19 of thehorizontal section of the housing, and

driven by a motor 21, the pump discharge being connected to the waterintake openings of the' jet head assemblies by suitable' piping locatedwithin the housing. Where more than one jet assembly is to be thussupplied, asingle discharge line 23 from the pump may be utilized, withbranch pipe connections 25 therefrom to each of the jet head assemblies.

Except at the location of the pump and motor in the housing, the housingmay be open to the pool deck and pool wall.

The water utilized for hydromassage purpose is derived from the poolitself, the free or submerged end of the angularly disposed section ofthe housing being provided with a wall opening 27, preferably in thebottom, for free access of thelpool water to the housing. A suction line29 from the suction side of the. pump, extends within the housing to apoint below water level in the pool. In lieu of terminating in the wallopening'27, the suction line is terminated at a point which will bebelow water level, but yet spaced from such opening, thus to minimizethe probable exposure of an individual to the full suction effect of thepump, while still making available to the pump, the pool water as asource of supply. To further protect such an individual, the opening inthe housing may be spanned by a suitable grill.

The air deemed essential for hydromassage purposes, is drawn into eachof the jet head assemblies through a tube 33 connected to the air intakeopening of each such assembly, and emerging through a wall of thehousing, at a point above the water level of the pool, where it iscapped by an adjustable air valve 36 for enabling adjustment of the airsupply to the associated jet head assembly. Such type of air valveadjustment is well known, and is illustrated in one form, in the patentto FLOYD M. NASH, U.S. Pat. No. 3,067,435 of Dec. 1 l, 1962.

The shape and contour of the housing 1 is incidental to the presentinvention, though preferably, the horizontal section 3 terminates at itsfree end 19 in an enlargement to house the pump and its associated drivemotor, such enlargement involving a receptacle 37 provided with a cover39, the cover having vent screens 41 to ventilate the motor housedtherein.

Likewise, the free or submersible end of the angularly disposed sectionof the housing is enlarged with outwardly facing vertical walls 43 forthe mounting of the jet head assemblies, such walls being angularlydisposed with respect to each other, whereby the jet head assemblies,when installed, will be angularly related to each other in a commonplane. The discharge from each jet head assembly will fan out through anarc sufficiently to overlap the arc of jet activity created by theadjacent jet head assembly, whereby the area of overlap will representthe cumulative efiect from both jet assemblies. Such cumulative effectmay be substantially the same as that emerging in line from eachassembly. This can be varied somewhat by changing the direction of thedischarge from one or more of the jet head assemblies.

Installation of the hydromassage assembly involves nothing more thanplacement of the same on the deck of the pool, with the vertical portionpreferable in engagement with the pool wall. When thusly installed, theweight of the pump and motor and the reactive forces of the jetdischarges will stabilize the position'of the entire assembly.

The pump utilized in the preferred form of the invention, is one of thecentrifugal type, where the water is discharged through a volute. Thepump is installed with the discharge end of the volute at an upper levelin the pump, whereby the pump casing 47 may then function as a primingchamber, and when once primed, the pump should not need reprimingthereafter under normal conditions of use. However, a conventional typefoot valve, such as illustrated in the patent to O.M.Thompson, U.S. Pat.No. 3,323,468 of June 6, 1967, may be added to the suction line 29, toadvantage.

To facilitate such priming of the pump, a hose connection 49 to the pumpcasing may be installed, with a shut-ofi valve 51 in such connection. Byremoving the cover 39, a hoseof the garden variety may be coupled to theconnection 49 and the pump primed, whereupon, the hose may bedisconnected and the valve shut off, and the cover replaced.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be apparentthat the same is portable and entirely independent of the pool system,and may be placed at any point along the pool deck which one may desire.The greatest practical range of activity may be realized, however, bylocating the assembly on the pool deck at approximately the four footlevel of water in the pool, though where youngsters may be involved, onemay prefer to locate the assembly at the more shallow end of the pool.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferredform and in considerable detail, it will be apparent that the same issubject to alteration and modification without departing from theunderlying principles involved and, accordingly, such changes may bedeemed to fall within the scope of the claims involved.

I claim:

1. A hydromassage assembly for a pool having a substantial vertical sidewall and a deck bordering on said wall, said hydromassage assemblycomprising a housing including a substantially horizontal section forplacement on the deck of such pool, and a joining section angularlydisposed with respect to said substantially horizontal section andhaving a wall opening at its free end for submergence in the water ofsuch pool, said horizontal section including means for installing a pumpin its free end, said angularly disposed section including means forinstalling in its free end, at least one hydro-air jet head assembly, apump in the free end of said horizontal section, a hydro-air jet headassembly installed in the free end of said angularly disposed sectionand having a water intake opening and an air intake opening, saidangularly disposed section of said housing being of sufficient length toenable submergence of said hydro-air jet head assembly below water whensaid horizontal section rests on such pool deck, a pressure line withinsaid housing for connecting the discharge side of said pump to the waterintake opening of said hydro-air jet head assembly, a suction linewithin said housing and extending from the free end of said angularlydisposed section and connecting with the suction side of said pump.

2. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 1 characterized byan air intake tube couples to said jet assembly at said air intakeopening and extending through a wall of said housing at a location abovewater level, when said hydromassage assembly is installed at such pool.

3. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 1 characterized by aplurality of hydro-air jet head assemblies installed in the free end ofthe angularly disposed section of said housing, said plurality of jethead assemblies being angularly related to each other in a substantiallycommon plane.

4. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 3 characterized by aseparate air intake tube for each of said jet head assemblies.

5. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 1 characterized bythe horizontal section of said housing terminating in an enlarged freeend for installation of said pump and a pump drive motor.

6. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 5 characterized bysaid enlarged free end including a receptacle and a cover therefor.

7. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 3 characterized bysaid plurality of jet head assemblies involving only two, with thepressure line from said pump being divided at said jet head assemblies.

8. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 1 characterized bythe intake end of said suction line being in spaced relationship to saidwall opening to reduce suctional drag on an individual to close vicinitythereto, and a grill spanning said wall opening.

1. A hydromassage assembly for a pool having a substantial vertical sidewall and a deck bordering on said wall, said hydromassage assemblycomprising a housing including a substantially horizontal section forplacement on the deck of such pool, and a joining section angularlydisposed with respect to said substantially horizontal section andhaving a wall opening at its free end for submergence in the water ofsuch pool, said horizontal section including means for installing a pumpin its free end, said angularly disposed section including means forinstalling in its free end, at least one hydro-air jet head assembly, apump in the free end of said horizontal section, a hydro-air jet headassembly installed in the free end of said angularly disposed sectionand having a water intake opening and an air intake opening, saidangularly disposed section of said housing being of sufficient length toenable submergence of said hydro-air jet head assembly below water whensaid horizontal section rests on such pool deck, a pressure line withinsaid housing for connecting the discharge side of said pump to the waterintake opening of said hydro-air jet head assembly, a suction linewithin said housing and extending from the free end of said angularlydisposed section and connecting with the suction side of said pump.
 2. Ahydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 1 characterized by an airintake tube couples to said jet assembly at said air intake opening andextending through a wall of said housing at a location above waterlevel, when said hydromassage assembly is installed at such pool.
 3. Ahydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 1 characterized by aplurality of hydro-air jet head assemblies installed in the free end ofthe angularly disposed section of said housing, said plurality of jethead assemblies being angularly related to each other in a substantiallycommon plane.
 4. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 3characterized by a separate air intake tube for each of said jet headassemblies.
 5. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 1characterized by the horizontal section of said housing terminating inan enlarged free end for installation of said pump and a pump drivemotor.
 6. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 5characterized by said enlarged free end including a receptacle and acover therefor.
 7. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 3characterized by said plurality of jet head assemblies involving onlytwo, with the pressure line from said pump being divided at said jethead assemblies.
 8. A hydromassage assembly in accordance with claim 1characterized by the intake end of said suction line being in spacedrelationship to said wall opening to reduce suctional drag on anindividual to close vicinity thereto, and a grill spanning said wallopening.